


Star Cross'd

by QuidnamInferorum



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Historical, Arranged Marriage, Claiming, Claiming Bites, F/M, Knotting, Lots of references to The Canterbury Tales, Oral Sex, Reader-Insert, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-02
Updated: 2018-07-20
Packaged: 2018-12-10 10:14:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 14,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11689524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuidnamInferorum/pseuds/QuidnamInferorum
Summary: In the mid-sixteenth century, the Winchesters are the boogeymen of their small town, the Alphas known for their strength, speed, and ferocity. So, when a wealthy man needs his Omega daughter through the dangerous woods surrounding the settlement, the Winchesters are the obvious choice. They just have to get her to her wedding by week’s end without claiming her. How hard can that be?





	1. Prologue

_Image by the ever-wonderful jovialsam!!_

* * *

 

 

“The Winchester family always was a weird bunch,” the crotchety old man grumbled. “Never liked them, meself.”

“Yes, well,” the other man said. “These are desperate times, Chaucer.”

“True enough,” the older man replied. “No one in their right mind would mess wit’ ‘em, neither. Better hope they don’t take a likin’ to yer daughter.”

Mr. Merchant bristled. “Thank you, Chaucer, that’ll be all.”

Chaucer waved him off, continuing his way down the street. “Good luck, Merchant.”

Mr. Merchant swallowed thickly. He had parted with a bit of his coin in exchange for the whereabouts of the Winchester boys, but it was well worth it.

Everyone in town knew that the Winchester family was strange. Originally a normal nuclear family, John, the father, had taken his two sons into the wilderness after the sudden burning death of their mother and home. They had then built a new abode in the woods surrounding town, and John had raised his two sons away from society.

The Winchester patriarch came into town a few times a year, mostly to trade. Sometimes the sons joined him, but more often not.

However, this allowed them a glimpse into the men these boys had become.

Both became strong, handsome men that made many of the women in town swoon. Dean, the elder son, was known throughout the town because he had been known to accompany his father from time to time on his trips, taking over on said trips once John died. He was strong, tall, with bright jade eyes, a constellation of freckles over tanned skin, and a face that many of the girls in town fawned over.

His brother, Sam, was an enigma. Taller than even his brother, he had shaggy, almost unkempt brown hair covering his hazel eyes and straight nose. He too was tanned, which caused him to almost blend into the giant bear coat he wore always. Years earlier, he had been a bright and happy man and was still courteous when approached, he was just almost never approached. He cut a terrifying figure, and, more often than not, people spoke to the amiable older brother on the rare occasion they needed something from the Winchester brothers.

This was the first time Mr. Merchant would be meeting them himself.

He followed one of the many tiny, barely-there roads leading out of town and into the dense woods surrounding it. He gripped the sword that had been in his family for generations, sitting above the mantle and unused. He’d had the local blacksmith sharpen it, but was still unsure what would happen if he was forced to use the blade.

He walked carefully through the foliage, hoping that nothing would jump out at him. For an immeasurable amount of time, his only company was the chitter of small animals and the birdsong.

Then there was a rustle that was unlike the others. The rustle of something bigger.

He whirled around, sword at the ready. He had never been more tense than he was at that moment. He could feel each bead of sweat run down his overheated skin.

A twig cracked and he nearly jumped out of his skin.

“Ah, it’s just some townie,” a deep voice rang out.

Merchant immediately spun to face the source of the voice. He didn’t calm down when he saw it was the elder Winchester boy.

Dean smirked, revealing bright white teeth behind his plush lips. His clothing, as always, was a mix of ill-fitting trash and high-end garments, cobbled together from thousands of trips to the town to trade. He held a crossbow, letting it rest on his shoulders, accompanied by a gleaming, well-used sword on his hip. “Heya.”

Merchant’s eyes darted about, searching for the other.

“Oh, you’re never gonna find Sammy,” Dean tsked. “See, unlike some people here, he can actually stay quiet.”

The older man nodded. “So I’ve heard.”

“You lost?” Dean asked, his eyes never leaving his target.

“I was…” Merchant answered shakily. “I was actually looking for you.”

“For us?” Dean frowned. “No offense, but we don’t get a whole lot of visitors out here. Sammy’s whole…look scares the girls away.”

Merchant’s jaw ticked. “I would pay you.”

Dean nodded appreciatively. “We do appreciate that. However, we aren’t looking for any jobs right now.”

“You’ve not even heard my offer.”

“Yeah, pretty sure I didn’t ask.”

“Please,” the desperation was clear in the older man’s voice.

Suddenly, another voice spoke behind him, saying Dean’s name.

When Merchant turned around, he was face to face with the tallest man he’d ever seen, wearing a cloak made of bearskin that fit his form almost perfectly.

Merchant nearly jumped out of his skin. He fumbled for a moment with his sword, barely catching it before it met the dirt floor.

Sam Winchester looked to his brother, his face stony. “Let’s at least hear him out.”

The two brothers seemed to have a silent conversation, and, finally, Dean cracked. “Fine. What’s the job?”

Merchant cleared his throat, regaining his normally stoic and almost regal bearing as much as he could. “I need an escort for my daughter.”

Dean scoffed, and Sam sent a stern look to his brother. “C’mon, you don’t need us for that,” Dean frowned.

“She’s an Omega.”

The two Winchesters stiffened.

There was a tense silence before Sam spoke. “You do know that we’re both Alphas, right?”

Merchant nodded. “I’ve no choice. She must be in the capital in a week’s time, and no one knows the woods as you two do.”

“You’re not worried?” Dean asked. “Alphas’ aren’t really known for their self-control.”

“I’ve no choice. I’m hoping your lust for gold overpowers your lust for my daughter.”

Sam walked over to join his brother, his hazel eyes never leaving the older man in fine clothes. Dean spoke, “Depends on what you’re offering.”

“As much as it takes. I need her there, untouched, within a week.”

Dean’s eyes narrowed. “You’re selling her.”

Merchant bristled at that. “It’s what’s best for her.”

“Does she have any say in the matter?” Sam continued.

Merchant’s gaze fell to the forest floor. “None of us have much choice in what we do.”

“Her less so, it seems,” the younger Winchester almost growled.

Dean’s hand came up to rest on his brother’s shoulder, trying to calm him a little. “Would we leave tomorrow?”

Merchant brightened. “So the terms are agreeable?”

Dean and Sam shared a tense look, both more than a little frustrated. Finally, the elder brother sighed. “I suppose so. Seems we’ve little choice as well.”

The older man nearly danced in joy. “Oh thank you both. I know it’s quite unorthodox, but I simply—”

“Look,” Sam interrupted. “We don’t care. Dean will take you back to town and work out the details. I’m going to get dinner.”

With that, Sam was gone with a heavy sigh from Dean. The short-haired man turned to Merchant with a wry grin. “Well, let’s get you back to town, I guess.”

* * *

Her one and only bag was packed and ready. She was told to only pack the essentials, things necessary for the journey. In the end, she’d packed a book from her father’s library, a few rolls of bread from the kitchen, and a small doll she’d had her whole life into a tiny bag. An entire new wardrobe and bedroom set awaited her in her new home, so there wasn’t much she needed.

So, now, she sat in her father’s sitting room, nervously awaiting the sunrise. Her father was running around, figuring out some last minute preparations.

In a few moments, her father would bring her to her escorts, and off she’d be to her wedding.

She knew little of the man, honestly. She’d heard he had land and a title and she’d continue to live in the manner to which she was accustomed. Apparently, that was all the information they felt she needed.

She was nervous as anything, hoping against hope that he was a nice man and she pleased him.

Finally, her father announced that it was time to go. He took by the arm, leading her in the dim, early morning light to the town’s borders. They waved to the guards at the gate and they let them pass without a second glance.

“I’ll return in but a moment, Chanticleer!”

The man standing at the gate, a bright smile on his face and a spring in his step even in the early morning light, nodded and bid them good morning as they passed.

Merchant and his daughter walked about a hundred feet dead ahead into the woods, then waited.

She clutched her bag close to her chest, unsure of what was about to happen.

A few minutes later, two men appeared in the early morning mist, along with a giant, beautiful black horse. She was immediately frightened by their appearance, but stood her ground. She had to get to know these men at some point, especially if they were to be in close quarters with them for the next week.

Merchant seemed to tense a little as well. “Good morning.”

Dean smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Morning. This is her, I hope,” he said from his place beside the mare.

Merchant nodded, lightly pushing his daughter towards the brothers. “Yes.”

Sam walked closer to her, and she tried not to faint. “Hello. I’m Sam, and this is my brother, Dean.”

She nodded.

He frowned a bit, his brow slightly furrowing. He tried again, “What’s your name?”

“Y/N Merchant.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Merchant,” Sam gave a reassuring smile.

Her father gave a small purse to the elder Winchester. “First half here, second half upon hearing of my daughter’s safe passage.”

Dean nodded, placing the small purse into one of the horse’s saddlebags. “Yeah, sure. Sammy, let’s go.”

The younger brother nodded before turning to her and holding a hand out. “Would you like me to take your things?”

She shook her head, clutching the bag tightly to her chest. “I would rather carry it myself, thank you.”

He pulled his hand back awkwardly, unsure of how to react. He cleared his throat and turned to join his brother.

She, in turn, went to face her father and say goodbye to him. That was when she saw that he had already left, meeting up with the guard he had spoken to not minutes before. Her eyes fell shut as she took a deep breath through her nose. She wished she could’ve been surprised by his actions, but she wasn’t.

So, instead, she turned to follow her new companions. They were only a few steps ahead of her, both watching and waiting for her.

She took a deep breath and rushed to catch up to the brothers.


	2. Chapter 1

Y/N ran to catch up to Dean where he walked beside his sleek, black mare. She took a deep breath, partly from running to catch up with the long strides of the short-haired man and partly because she was trying to hide the fact that she was nervous.

“Good morning,” she began.

He faced her, flashing her a big, toothy, awkward grin. “Good afternoon, poppet.”

She scoffed at the term. “I don't believe we've been properly introduced. I'm Y/N Merchant.”

He nodded. “Yeah, I, uh…I heard ya tell Sam.”

“Ah, of course…he said your name was Dean.”

“Yup, that's me.”

She chewed her bottom lip, her eyes falling to the ground as they walked. “Your steed is beautiful.”

Dean beamed at that, immediately brightening at the topic. “She's my baby. Her name is Pala.”

Y/N reached out to pat at the horse's thick, glossy neck, but restrained herself at the last moment. “May I touch her?”

He ran a hand down Pala’s mane, his brow furrowed in thought. “I'd probably wait until we stop for the night, give her time to get used to you. She's not accustomed to strangers.”

Y/N’s hand returned to its previous position, the air of awkwardness returning once more. “Father said that we'll be in the capital rather quickly.”

“Well, if luck's on our side, you'll be married in a week.”

She frowned, clutching her bag tighter. The idea of marrying a man she didn’t know did not appeal to her in the slightest. “Hopefully all will be well.”

Dean's eyes fell on her for a moment, but Sam quickly joined them and slung a rabbit he’d caught over Pala’s saddle. “So, what's your fianceé like?”

Y/N craned her head up to look at the long-haired man. “Ah, I…I've not met him before.”

Dean grumbled something under his breath, and Sam sent his brother a quick glare. “Well, then…what do you know of him?”

“That he is a Lord and that this marriage is important to my father,” she shrugged. “And that he is a Beta.”

Dean threw his hands up. “Oh, good, because there’s a _long_ history of Betas and Omegas having happy marriages.”

Sam glared at his brother. “Which means nothing, Dean. It could be fine.”

“If you are so against this marriage,” Y/N frowned, “why would you agree to escort me?”

The men bristled, and it couldn’t have been more obvious that she had hit a nerve. She immediately began backtracking and busied herself with adjusting her skirt. “I am so sorry. I must learn to think before I speak.”

Dean smiled softly. “No, I’m sorry,” he ran a hand down his face, “I was being rude.”

After that, words failed them and they moved in relevant silence through the woods.

They had left at dawn, but it hadn’t gotten too much brighter in the hours they walked. The canopy of trees above them covered them from the sun blazing above them. The wind moved quickly through and around the trunks, bringing a sweet-smelling yet chilling breeze. Even though it was the middle of summer, it was cooler than they could believe, and they each held their coats closely to their chests. In his bearskin coat, Sam looked like the animal he was wearing, and more than once, he coaxed a shout of surprise from Y/N by silently walking beside her.

They stopped shortly before sundown to begin setting up camp. Sam and Dean spoke quickly to divide up responsibilities, and Sam was off into the night with a bow and arrow to find some dinner, as the rabbit he’d found earlier was too small to properly feed all three of them.

Dean tied Pala to a nearby tree before he built a fire, which quickly warmed the chilly night air. When he’d finished, he pulled out a blanket and spread it before the fire. Y/N watched, unsure what to do. Finally, he turned to her and motioned to the blanket below them. “Sit.”

She did so, but awkwardly, like she’d recently sustained a massive head injury or was only vaguely aware how her limbs were supposed to work. Dean watched her with an amused smile before focusing on getting the small burlap tents set up.

It was now her turn to watch him. She had spent all day looking at the ground, trying to not lose her footing in the dense foliage hiding all the rocks and uneven terrain that would not hesitate to knock her down.

She watched the older Winchester work, the way his ill-fitting clothing did nothing to hide his strong, wide form. The muscles in his arms rippled and rolled as he went about setting everything up. She could see freckles scattered across his tanned skin and she lost herself in her imagination for a moment, hoping they covered every inch of it.

And, oh Lord in Heaven, his _scent_ . He smelled like the forest around them and a warm pie baking in a stone hearth and every comforting smell she could ever imagine rolled into one. She was finally sitting downwind of him rather than walking beside him, Pala, and Sam, and it was pure _Dean_ on the wind.

He caught her staring, his jade green eyes locking with hers. He seemed a bit surprised, but quickly smiled. “Are you okay?”

She flushed and nodded. “I’m sorry, me staring, that was incredibly rude.”

He shook his head. “There ain’t much else to look at out here,” he offered.

That pulled a chuckle from her, which in turn made him smile. Dean walked back over to Pala and pulled a few things from her back. He then made his way over to Y/N and knelt beside her. A small carrot was handed to her, the greens still attached to the bright orange top. “Here,” he said, “those are her favorites. She deserves a few for today. Would you mind?”

Y/N excitedly jumped to her feet, leaving her small pack on the ground where she had sat. Dean advised her to approach the mare cautiously, then went about setting up the last tent. She had to take a moment to fully find the pitch black horse in the darkness, but she approached as Dean said, even holding out the treat like it was a peace offering. “Hello, Pala.”

The horse was tense, but she made no move to distance herself from the new face.

Y/N held the carrot out so that Pala could take it the moment she got close enough.

Pala nickered before meeting Y/N halfway, which caused the latter to jump just a bit. She held her ground however, as the mare got closer. Pala took the carrot eagerly, chomping it down in seconds. Then the trusty mount began nuzzling at the Omega’s stomach, near the bag of carrots.

Y/N giggled, lightly patting the neck of Pala and moving the bag away. “So impatient!” she smiled wider than she had all day as she dug out another carrot.

The mare excitedly inhaled the next two treats she was given before Y/N decided that it was enough. Pala huffed and snorted, but nothing too terrible happened. Pala even let Y/N continue to stroke her, nuzzling lightly at her stomach.

Y/n hummed quietly to herself as she ran her fingers through the horse’s mane, detangling it and pulling twigs, leaves, and whatever else had made its home there.

“Wow.”

Y/N nearly jumped out of her skin with fright. Dean had come up beside her at some point, a tent all ready and waiting occupants behind him.

“Sorry,” he apologized, trying to hold back his laughter. He then walked up to the mare, who promptly forgot Y/N existed to nuzzle and lick at her master.

Y/N shook her head. “It’s quite alright. In any case, I should really pay more attention to my surroundings. We aren’t in town anymore.”

Dean smiled, the mirth still in his features. “Well, it’s your first night out. I think you’re allowed. It’s why we’re here.”

“And I thank you for it,” she answered.

Dean went back to stroking Pala. His large, calloused, worn hands stroked her gently, almost reverently. “You cleaned her mane,” he spoke quietly, almost absent-mindedly.

“A beautiful mare like her shouldn’t be dirty.”

He nodded. “That’s what I keep tellin’ Sammy.”

“She’s gorgeous. And judging by her reaction to you,” she chuckled. “You must take very good care of her.”

Dean beamed. “She’s my pride and joy. Raised her since she was born. She usually doesn’t warm to strangers that quick, either.”

“I think she warmed to the carrots over me.”

He shook his head. “She let you clean her mane. It took weeks for her to let Sam do that.”

Y/N shrugged. “Well, then I am honored. I shall try to live up to your expectations, Pala.”

The mare neighed, sounding a bit like laughter, though Y/N was probably projecting. The lady laughed herself, enjoying herself more than she thought she would.

She caught Dean watching her, and she flushed lightly. Thankfully, they were interrupted by the return of the younger Winchester with two rabbits.

Dean had set up the tent specifically for her, and she couldn’t have been more thankful for the privacy, as she told them over and over.

They waved her off, settling in on the bedrolls that rest on either side of her tent.

She crawled in, wishing them both good night before curling up and falling asleep almost instantly. For a lady of leisure, an entire day of hiking through the woods was too much, and they were a bit surprised she’d managed to stay awake long enough to eat.

Dean made himself comfortable between Pala and the tent after making sure the mare was comfortable for the night.

When Sam spoke, it was quiet. “She seems nice.”

Dean grunted. “Yeah. At least she didn’t complain today.”

“I was shocked. I thought she’d be impossible to shut up.”

The elder Winchester chuckled. “Never been so happy to be wrong.”

“Yeah,” His brother smiled. “But she’ll be sore tomorrow, so maybe I shouldn’t speak so soon.”

“Well, she can ride Pala tomorrow,” Dean answered as he closed his eyes to sleep.

The silence that followed, however, was deafening, and so one of his green eyes popped open to look at his companion.

Sam had a wide-eyed look of disbelief on his face, clearly stunned speechless. Dean’s eyes fell closed again, and in a gruff tone, he asked, “What?”

“You’ll let a stranger ride Pala?”

“She’ll be fine.”

“Pala or Y/N?”

“Both. Shut up, I’m tryin’ to sleep.”

The sound of Sam settling in could be heard, then silence reigned once more. “I just hope Pala isn’t getting attached, since we’ll never see Y/N again after this is over.”

Dean shook his head, but his eyes didn’t open. “Pala’ll be fine. We just gotta get through this week, and we’ll buy her enough carrots to help her forget.”

“I hope so. Wouldn’t want Pala to do something stupid that could get us all in trouble.”

A heavy sigh escaped the elder Winchester. “ _Pala_ won’t do anything stupid as long as you shut up and let her sleep.”

A half-hearted chuckle was heard, then the soft words, “Good night Dean.”

“Night, Sammy.”


	3. Chapter 2

By the time Y/N awoke the next morning, almost the entire camp was cleaned up. She crawled out of the tent to see Sam stomping out the last of the fire as Dean packed up their supplies in Pala’s saddlebags.

Dean perked up the moment he heard her rustling, and turned to greet her with a smile. “Hey, look who’s up.”

Sam offered a smile of his own. “Good morning, Y/N.”

She stretched, arching her back and relishing in the lovely pleasure-pain of using muscles that had been curled up all night.

She heard Dean groan, which caused both her and Sam to snap to look at him. The tips of his ears flushed pink and he unconvincingly tried to cover his groan with a cough. “C’mon, help me break the tent down.”

Y/N moved to fake her way through helping Dean, but he had apparently been talking to Sam, since the men had it packed up quicker than she could think.

Once everything was secured, Dean offered his hand to Y/N and nodded towards his mare. “Here, you should ride Pala today.”

Y/N didn’t even pretend to refuse. She simply took his hand and, with his help, was sitting astride Pala in moments.

Then they were off.

Dean and Sam walked beside her and the horse, the former’s hand never letting go of the horse’s reins. When the silence became too much, she turned to face the men and asked, “Well, this is simply ridiculous.”

Both men shot her confused looks, but Sam was the one who asked, “What?”

“If we’re to spend six more days in each other’s company, we cannot spend it in utter silence,” Y/N clarified. “And, seeing as you know the bulk of my story, I have little to say, so the onus of conversation must fall to you.”

Sam chuckled. “Well, sounds reasonable when you put it that way.”

The elder Winchester pursed his lips in fake thought before he said, “Well, I could tell the story of the time I convinced Sammy here he could fly.”

“We’re good, thank you Dean!” Sam practically shouted in his attempt to stop his brother.

Y/N answered with a giggle, which brought a smile to Dean’s lips. The rest of the day was spent with the brothers trying to out-embarrass the other. Y/N offered one story of her own about how her father tried to break a horse and instead broke his nose, but she mostly was laughing.

As for the boys themselves, however, they found themselves acting as children again. It was as though retelling their childhood stories made them re-live them, and the boys were laughing like they were at home together rather than in the middle of the woods.

When they stopped around mid-day to rest for a few minutes, Y/N’s face was flushed from laughter. They were by a small stream, so Dean was sent to refill their canteens since they were nearby anyway.

Dean even took an extra moment to take his cloak and wash some of the dirt and grime from the past few weeks off of it. It hadn’t occurred to him to make extra sure he was presentable before they left town, and it was suddenly necessary.

Sam have him a strange look when he returned to the group with full canteens and a moist cloak. The same look was applied to Y/N when he heard her take in a deep breath through the nose. He even saw her pupils dilate.

However, Dean threw his still-wet cloak on the back of Pala, pointedly ignoring the look Sam sent his way, and they were off again.

That night was a repeat of the previous, down to the conversation. Sam asked about Y/N, and, again, Dean brushed him off.

And, maybe, if Dean used his cloak that was now covered in her scent as a pillow, that was none of Sam’s business.

There was one thing for sure, and that was they had hit the height of summer.

Now that they had lost some of the tree cover, the sun was almost physically assaulting them with its rays.

Afraid of overworking Pala, Y/N moved back to walking on her own two feet beside the brothers.

Dean leant his hand to her once or twice when the rough terrain messed with her footing. She answered him while flushed cheeks and a rather breathless “thank you.”

Her face was flushed, but Dean attributed that to the heat and didn’t think more of it.

As they sat around that afternoon under what shade they could find, eating some of their provisions, Y/N asked, “Would you mind my asking you both what may very well be a personal question?”

Dean shrugged and Sam answered with, “Go ahead.”

“Why did you agree to escort me to the capital?” She frowned, chewing the inside of her cheek. “You are obvious in your disdain for my arranged marriage. And, you’ve not you made any untoward moves which are expected of Alphas, so I think it safe to assume your motives aren’t carnal.”

Sam’s cheeks tinged pink and Dean coughed, choking a bit on his jerky. “No, uh,” the younger Winchester smiled awkwardly. “Definitely not.”

“I apologize. I’d never met an Alpha before you two, and they do not have the best reputation.”

“Well, neither do we,” Sam added. “So a bit of apprehension is really just a rational response.”

“Well,” she grinned. “At least  _you_  said it.”

Sam chuckled and Dean pouted playfully. “You cut me to the quick, Lady Y/N,” the elder Winchester said dramatically.

She giggled in response. “I can only apologize.”

“Can we forgive her, Sammy?”

“I don’t know. What can fix wounded pride?”

“I believe it’s fatal.”

“Ah, then it’s too late!” Sam cried. “She’ll simply have to live with the guilt.”

“Oh, perish the thought!” Dean answered. He turned to Y/N, his eyes sparkling with mirth. “Think well of us ere we have gone.” He then clutched his chest as though in pain.

Y/N was laughing too hard to join in on their jest, and the boys joined her rather than continue the joke.

When they finally calmed down, Dean stood and announced that they were leaving.

“I’m sorry,” Y/N frowned. “But you never answered my question.”

Sam smiled tightly and stood to join his brother in preparing to leave.

Dean, however, answered her by gruffly saying, “It’s none of your business, Y/N.”

“If I’ve offended–”

Sam shook his head. “Don’t worry. Let’s just get going.”

She huffed quietly but said nothing more, and off they went.


	4. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was entirely my fault--I posted it last week on tumblr and then completely forgot about AO3, because I'm the worst. On the bright side, regular chapter is still coming tomorrow, so you don't have to wait a week! I'm really sorry, you guys. You deserve better :D

The air of awkwardness that settled over them after their conversation didn’t dissipate right away.

In fact, it stayed there the rest of the day, even as they set up camp once again for the night. Dean pouted as he handed his crossbow over to Sam. The younger brother rolled his eyes, quickly assuring Dean that the crossbow would return safe and sound.

YN huddled close as Dean set up the fire, trying to stay as close to the flames as possible without catching.

His green eyes darted over to Y/N, who was curled up in his cloak, shivering slightly. It was chilly for a summer night, to be sure, but he was surprised that she was so cold. He sighed heavily and finally offered an idea, “It might be warmer if we share the coat.”

Y/N nodded, not one to hold to propriety after a certain temperature. Dean slid in beside her, pulling the coat up to cover his shoulders. She huddled up next to him, burrowing into his side.

Without any conscious thought to the decision, Dean’s hand snaked around her waist to pull her closer. He turned to nuzzle into the top of her head, and that was a terrible, wonderful mistake.

He’d spent the last few days, practically since they met, memorizing her scent. However, that was when he was catching whiffs of her on the wind in small, manageable doses.

But this?

 _This_  was a tidal wave of  _her_  that consumed him and blocked all other thoughts, save for one:

_Mine._

The snapping of twigs brought Dean back to reality. He was on his feet, knife brandished in a split second.

A familiar bear was standing in the tree line, holding a well-used crossbow and a few birds of varying shapes and sizes.

Dean calmed a bit when he recognized his brother, lowering his knife slightly.

“It’s just me,” Sam clarified further.

Dean frowned at his brother stating the obvious. But Sam wasn’t looking at Dean, he was looking down at their charge, who was pale from fear and wrapped around Dean’s leg for safety.

She let go of her escort’s limb, obviously embarrassed.

Sam smiled awkwardly in response, choosing to break the tension by offering her first choice amongst his game for the next night’s meal.

Dean felt a growl bubbling up in his throat, but suppressed it. He should’ve been the one providing for her and Sam definitely didn’t need to stand so close to her. Not that he cared. Nope. Not at all.

He watched his brother and their charge talk for a moment before Dean remembered something else: Sam never made a sound unless he wanted to.

* * *

Sam and Dean didn’t speak for the rest of the night or for majority of the next morning. Thankfully, the brothers could work together without ever exchanging a word, but the tension could still be cut with a knife.

Around midday, Sam left, practically growling out that he was scouting ahead, and Dean and Y/N were left alone. Dean’s hand gripped Pala’s reins tightly, and Y/N finally asked what was on her mind. “Is everything alright, Dean?”

The older Winchester nodded. “It’ll be fine. Don’t worry yourself, princess.”

“Are you quite sure?”

He smiled up at her, his features softening for the first time that day. “I promise. Brothers often fight, and all will be well.”

That seemed to ease her at least a bit, and she returned his smile. “I’d hate to see you unhappy, Dean.”

“Truly?”

“Of course,” she flushed and began stuttering out, “I-I mean, I wish  _both_ of you to be happy!”

His green eyes looked up to see her on his horse, and he smiled at the sight. He placed his free hand on her calf in what was meant as a soothing motion. Even through the thick layers of her dress, he could feel the heat of her skin, and he frowned. The warmth was comforting, like just the touch could soothe him to sleep, but he was also worried. How could she be so hot without also being on fire?

She cleared his throat, and his hand fell away. “My apologies, Y/N.”

“Please, tis not necessary.”

Dean already missed touching her, but instead, he simply said, “Well, they are yours anyway. Come, help me set a fire. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”

She smiled widely, nodding. “Yes, twould be good to have the fire roaring in time for Sam’s return.”

“And maybe I have some provisions hidden in my pack.”

She gasped melodramatically. “And you hid them from us?”

“Tell Sam and face my wrath, poppet,” Dean smiled as he held his arms out to help Y/N down off her seat.

She locked her hands onto his shoulders, and his grabbed her by the waist. His muscles flexed as he helped her down, and he caught her eyes dance along the ripples.

He smiled without thought, smug that she wanted him as well.

Her feet touched solid earth the moment Dean realized where his train of thought would lead. He let go of her instantly, his smile turning a bit awkward.

She seemed a bit dazed, so he took advantage of that and put some space between them. He pulled out some jerky from his pack, calling her name to get her attention. She barely had enough time to catch the jerky, fumbling with it for a moment.

They ate in mostly uninterrupted silence, save for the one attempt Y/N made, too which Dean had answered with a grunt. The stalemate only ended when Sam returned, and, suddenly, conversation began again, though stilted.

Then they continued on.


	5. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I totally stole the idea for the beginning of this chapter from jovialsam and her The Blessed and the Cursed series, so all the credit to her! And go check out her series! It’s fantastical!
> 
> http://saxxxology.tumblr.com/post/164376147529/being-an-english-princess-in-1739-is-everything

  


Dean’s breath was long since gone. He was down by the river, gathering more water for the camp. Which he had done several minutes prior.

But, damn, after his realization and being around her with her being all her and smelling like heaven—he was only a man.

So, he had volunteered to go down to the nearby river and refill their waterskins, desperate for a moment alone. He had filled them up as soon as he knelt by the river, then placed them all on the bank to allow the river water to try and cool the water inside them.

Then he was free to do as he wished.

He had pulled himself free of his pants within moments, stroking himself to completion to images of her begging for his knot. It was the fastest he’d ever come, imagining the heat from his hand wrapped around his cock was her heat.

He stared down at the white spot on the ground as he tried to catch his breath, finally pushing himself back into his pants. He washed his hands in the river and grabbed the waterskins and head back to camp.

Y/N was asleep, curled up by the fire, facing him, whereas Sam was sitting against a tree with his back facing his brother.

Dean walked up, announcing his presence with a simple, “Heya Sammy. Sleeping Beauty out already?”

Sam nodded. “She tried to wait up for you, but you took a long time.”

“Guess I was daydreaming and lost track of time,” the elder Winchester shrugged.

Sam rolled his eyes. “Dean,” he sighed heavily. “You couldn’t wait until we were done with this job?”

The elder Winchester frowned. “Leave me alone, Sammy.”

“Seriously?! You spend some time around an Omega and you need to go off and pop your knot?!”

“Leave me alone, Sammy.”

“Dean, you know we need this money. This is more important than you laying with the first Omega to cross your path!”

“Damn it, Sam,” Dean growled out, shocking his brother. “It’s not like that!”

Sam threw a glance towards Y/N as she lay stock still, unperturbed by their slowly rising voices. “What do you mean?”

Dean was breathing heavily, the faintest trace of her on the wind, and he was trying to drink it all in like it was water and he was a man dying of thirst. “She's…” he began. “She’s  _mine_ , Sam.”

Hazel eyes widened, and Sam’s breath caught in his throat. “She’s yours? Your true mate?”

Dean’s whole body sagged with his sigh. “Yeah,” he confessed.

Sam smiled. “That’s…that’s wonderful, Dean!”

That surprised the oldest brother. “What? How?”

“If she’s really your true mate, then everything will be fine,” Sam grinned. “They cannot harm you or her if you claim her.”

Dean shakes his head. “No, I refuse to claim her.”

Sam frowned. “What is wrong with you? Why not?”

Green eyes focused on the bear skin wrapped around the taller Winchester. “We couldn’t protect Jess,” he says.

Sam’s face turned stony. “Do not use her as an argument. My…my failure is not yours.”

“‘M sorry, Sammy, I—”

He waved Dean off, obviously upset and trying to hide it. “Dean…she was mine. And I would never,  _ever_  have given her up.”

Dean sighed heavily. “She’ll be happier in her fancy palace than in our home, living hand to mouth and bein’ feared by everyone.”

“No she won’t, and you know it.”

“She’ll be safe. People hate us, and I’m not putting a fucking target on her back.”

Sam frowned, “You have three more days to stop being a fool.” With that, he crawled onto his bed roll and turned his back on his brother.

Dean felt the frustration fill him and had to fight the urge to kick something. Instead, he curled up on his own and bundled his cloak into a pillow. He even studiously ignored the fact that her scent was already fading and that that made falling asleep that much harder.

* * *

Even during summer, Y/N was much too hot.

She was once again on Pala, riding the beautiful mare as the brothers walked beside her. The sun was beating down on them, and the men were sweating lightly, compared to her sweating buckets.

She, however, was curled up on the horse, resting her head on Pala’s neck as they walked along. Her stomach felt queasy, which was her only saving grace. As long as she felt queasy and not crampy, everything was fine. And everything  _had_  to be fine. She couldn’t go into her heat when she’s alone with two Alphas in the middle of a nigh-impenetrable forest.

She was breathing heavily, but trying to ignore the brother’s scents on the wind. Sam smelled like sandalwood and earth and it was great and all, but Dean’s scent, ever since that first night, had been plaguing her mind, slowly blocking out every thought.

And he had been acting strange too.

He’d been acting like he had to protective.

Sam was trying to keep her safe, of course, and that showed every time an unfamiliar sound broke the silence and his hand was suddenly gripping his sword. He was kind and sweet and she was forming a deep friendship with the man.

But Dean took it a step further.

He seemed to always be touching her and she was sure that she’d caught him trying to scent her on the wind at least once. He even acted strangely when Sam tried to talk to her, as though that was somehow an affront.

As she rested her head against Pala’s thick neck and watched Dean and his brother chat, she smiled. Just the sound of his voice was making her feel better already. She watched his thick legs, bowed by the same horse she rode herself, carry the confident ranger, the crossbow slung over his shoulder.

She noticed Sam had caught her staring at his brother and she flushed at being caught. He simply smiled and even winked at her, which made her confused. He didn’t seem worried or angry like he had been when he found them huddling for warmth. Why would he even encourage her crush?

Y/N felt her face flush even more and she sighed heavily. It was just a crush and she was soon to be married…to a Beta. Not the stupidly handsome Alpha who smelled better than anything and made her feel like the most beautiful creature in the world with just a glance and made her laugh without trying.

Her crush didn’t need encouragement, she realized, because it was already too late. She was in love with Dean Winchester.


	6. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is totally my fault, and I'm so sorry people -- we're up to chapter 8 on tumblr, and I just completely forgot to update it here. So, get ready for a flurry of posts. :D

The next morning was a bit strange, at least for Y/N.

Not only had she awoken still feeling warm and achy, she had also awoken for the first time with the knowledge that her heart belonged to another, and it wasn’t the man in a nice castle beyond the forest, but with the ranger sitting ten feet to her right.

And, in two days time, they say goodbye forever.

She spent the entire day wondering what to do. Surely this was just get first love. Maybe she even developed feelings for the man simply because she didn't wish to marry a man she didn't love, much less a Beta.

She had heard stories of Omegas who had needed medical attention or even died because their hearts weren't sated. She'd never even heard of a Beta marrying an Omega that didn't end poorly.

But, she was nouveau riche and he had a title, so the name was made with little thought for what she wanted.

So, hopefully, the feelings she had for Dean would lessen once she was actually married. Maybe these feeling only developed because he was an Alpha.

But, during their midday rest, when Dean jumped at the chance to leave, offering to go hunt or refill their waterskins, obliviously desperate for an excuse to leave, her heart broke, and she knew it wasn't just because he was an Alpha. She already missed his presence before he was gone. They had so little time left together, and the idea that he didn't wish to take advantage of it when he had just the day previous seemingly enjoyed her company broke her heart.

She sat with Sam, munching on some rabbit that he had caught the day previous. Dean had finally found an excuse to leave, mumbling something about hunting something for dinner (ignoring their packs full of food), leaving her alone with the younger Winchester.

Sam kept shooting her sympathetic looks, which she ignored in favor of looking up anytime there was a rustle of leaves, hoping Dean was returning.

Finally, Sam spoke, “He’s afraid.”

She turned to face him, frowning. “I beg your pardon?”

“Tisn’t my place, I know, but…” Sam sighed heavily. “He thinks he won’t make you happy, so he’s staying away to try and spare you both the pain.”

“Spare the pain? The pain of what?”

“Of heartbreak, obviously,” he huffed, getting a little frustrated.

Y/N’s cheeks got warmer, and she looked away. “You assume that he and I harbor such affections for each other.”

“I am not a fool,” he rolled his eyes. “Do not speak to me as such.”

She was shocked by that, and her gaze to him said as much. He sighed heavily, turning in his seat to face her. “I apologize. I spoke out of turn.”

A moment passed before she waved him off, smiling awkwardly. “No, I suppose I should not be shocked I am rather…obvious in my preference for your brother. I’ve had little experience in hiding such feelings before, why should I be a master in my first experience with it?”

Sam smiled, his dimples coming out in full effect as he chuckled.

She answered with a rather lackluster smile of her own. “But, just because I hold your brother in high regard, that does not mean that he thinks of me in the same way.”

He let out a huff of frustration, seemingly searching for words. “Look, just…tell him how you feel.”

She was disagreeing before the words were fully out of his mouth. “Please, Sam, I—”

“I can promise you he feels the same.”

Her throat went dry and her eyes nearly bulged from her sockets. She had to take a moment to compose herself, to squash the giddy hope as it rose from her chest and threatened to consume her. “Even if he did, I am still engaged to be married. I cannot simply—”

“You can if he is your Alpha.”

She looked away, shaking her head. “He…he would most definitely have said something if he was my Alpha.”

“Unless he was an idiot.”

A snort of laughter left her at that. “But he is not.”

“He is in this instance. Please, you must tell him of your feelings. We can deal with the fallout easily enough, and, if you are true mates, then no action can be taken against either of you for simply fulfilling destiny.”

The crunch and crackle of leaves and sticks breaking underfoot stopped their conversation. Sam reached out, grabbing her arm lightly. “Please, tell him.”

Y/N’s widened eyes stared at his hazel ones, unsure of how to react, as Dean practically stomped back into their little camp. He zeroed in immediately on Sam’s hand where it lay, and he growled.

The younger Winchester pulled his hand away, immediately holding it up as though he was surrendering. He even said his brother's name slowly and calmly, like he was trying to calm a wild animal.

Dean still seemed tense, but he didn't do anything, simply going to his horse to check on her.

She watched him, hope swelling in her chest once more as she analyzed his actions. Perhaps he did feel the same. Perhaps it was worth confessing.

And so, she came to her decision, and resolved to tell him that evening.


	7. Chapter 6

Y/N didn’t tell him that evening.

She chickened out so hard, other chickens would’ve called her a coward.

She'd spent the entire day, from her conversation with Sam onward, preparing herself, gathering up every ounce of courage in her. Then, the moment of Truth came, and she'd looked into his jade green eyes and choked.

He'd given her a weird look and turned over to rest as they awaited Sam to return from his bathroom break.

Sam had sent her a fantastically crafted bitch face when he returned and saw them sitting on different sides of the fire, and she'd had the decency to look chagrined.

But this was their final day before arriving in the city.

They were past the main thicket of trees, close enough to the capital to begin seeing other people. Most ignored them, though some sent terrified looks towards the brothers.

She'd turned to Sam to ask why that was, and he'd patted her on the shoulder and pointed to his bearskin cloak. “The short version of the story: we killed this bear.”

“And that made them fear you?”

Sam nodded. “Tis…a long story.”

Y/N didn't push anymore.

At midday, they managed to find a trader and give him some skins in exchange for some provisions for their return trip home. She tried to not think about that, instead focusing on giving Pala a few of the treats they got for her.

That was the last person they saw until early evening, when they came across an inn. Though the past week with the two Alphas had been amazing, she was ready for a real bed and the boys needed next to no convincing to stop there for the night.

“We're close enough, anyway,” Dean had shrugged. “And Pala can stay in the warm stables and get some fresh hay.”

So, they walked into the inn, sighing happily at the warmth the welcomed them.

The inn was very rustic, but still filled with men and women of varying ages and sizes, though all seemed exhausted. It seemed to be the closest inn for miles, the inn the only place of community for them.

A sense of community they broke simply by walking in.

Every single set of eyes turned to stare at them, most of them widening at seeing the Winchesters, and the rest widening at the fresh scent of an unmated Omega.

A few Alphas moved to stand on instinct, drawn to Y/N.

Dean growled loudly, moving all attention to him. He even quickly moved in front of her, his hand on the grip of the sword resting on his hip.

All other Alphas (except Sam) bristled before they slowly retook their seats.

Sam sighed heavily. “I'll find us some rooms,” he said as he moved to the bar, searching for the innkeeper.

Dean turned to Y/N. “Stay with me. I don't trust the people here.”

She laughed without humor. “Neither do I, frankly.”

That pulled a smile from him, and he placed a hand on her lower back, leading her to where Sam had gone.

She tried to listen to the brothers Winchester speak with the innkeeper, but her focus was on the warmth spreading through her body, the epicenter where his hand rested. Every molecule of her was practically burning up at his touch, and she felt like she might melt.

“Crap.”

She snapped out of her reverie just in time to hear the sound of scuffling, of chairs sliding, of tankards falling to the ground.

Every Alpha was on their feet, their nostrils flaring and pupils covering any color in their eyes. One or two were even snarling.

Dean immediately grabbed the keys from Sam’s hand and picked up Y/N, almost throwing her over his shoulder, and ran up the small set of stairs to the side of the room.

He unlocked and threw open the door, running inside and slamming the door closed behind them. He only put her down to lock the door and begin dragging some of the furniture in front of the door. He leaned back against the miniscule dresser, simultaneously trying to sigh from exertion and not breathe at all.

She was burning up, even though he had stopped touching her. She looked up at him, confused, with half-lidded eyes. “I don’t understand.”

His normally beautifully green eyes were completely engulfed with black, his pupils blown as he looked at her. “Son of a bitch,” he grumbled. He gripped onto the dresser tightly, though she couldn’t tell if it was him trying to hold himself up, hold himself back, both, or neither.

Then it hit her like a ton of bricks: her heat had started.


	8. Chapter 7

“Dean—”

“I shouldn’t be here, damn it,” he groaned, his head falling back against the door. The outline of his cock was already becoming visible, even from across the room.

Y/N was on the bed, only able to see Dean because she was resting on her elbows. Her eyes were locked on his member, and she seemed to only be able to breathe in his scent, and it was intoxicating.

She’d had a few heats before, one or two, since presenting on her last birthday, but none had ever been _this_ intense. Then again, she’d never been around Alphas before, so, perhaps, that was what was different.

That thought would’ve occurred to her had not the overwhelming desperation to have Dean inside of her been had been taking up every centimeter of space in her brain.

“Dean,” the voice that left her throat sounded nothing like her. “Please.”

“Damn it—” he growled, not moving from the door. “I have to go.”

“Please, don’t,” she begged, sitting up on the bed and moving to uncomfortably kneel on the thin mattress. He repeated once more that he needed to leave, but he still seemed frozen on the spot. He looked more afraid than she’d ever seen him before, but that didn’t affect her need. “Dean, you can’t go. I need you.”

His eyes slammed shut, wrinkles appearing on his face as he squeezed them shut. “You’re engaged. You’re a _virgin_. You’re not—”

“I love you.”

That made his eyes pop right back open.

“I love you, Dean,” she said again, crawling forward on the bed. She heard a sharp intake of breath from Dean as he got a clear view down her dress to see her breasts. “I love you so much. I’ve been trying to tell you for days, but I was afraid you’d reject me. I cannot care about that now. You make me feel so safe and happy and—”

“You don’t love me,” he interrupted, his head shaking back and forth. “You’re in heat, you’re not thinking clearly.”

“Ask Sam,” she begged. “He knows. Please, I love you, I need you. It’s never hurt like this before.”

It was all too much for him. The elder Winchester was trembling, struggling against every one of his instincts. She stared up at him with wide eyes, her skin getting hotter and hotter with each passing second.

A knock on the door broke the tense silence, and Dean had never been more grateful for the distraction. Sam’s voice sounded through, proclaiming that the coast was clear. Dean pushed the dresser from the doorway, opening it to allow his brother entry.

And the younger Winchester would’ve joined them, if her scent hadn’t smashed into him like a ton of bricks.

His pupils exploded, covering every bit of hazel in his eyes. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he tried to deal with the wave of her scent. Even though he knew that this wasn’t his Omega, even though he didn’t even want her in that way, his instincts still begged and pleaded for control.

Sam spoke very tersely, trying to hide his discomfort. “Dean, close the door, before someone is tempted to do something foolish.”

The elder Winchester threw a look back to the poor girl on the bed. She was sweating profusely, her heavy dress sticking to her like a second skin, the moisture making her shine in the low light. Dean couldn’t think, her sight and smell clouding his every thought.

She looked desperate, and she kept muttering his name and pleas.

So, Dean turned to his brother, and nodded. “Yeah, you’re right.” And he shut the door behind him as he walked out of her room.

* * *

 

Her cries could be heard through the door. She sounded pitiful, like a kitten mewing, and it tugged at Dean’s heartstrings.

As soon as he closed the door behind him, he fell back against the door, his eyes screwing shut.

“What the hell are you doing, Dean?” Sam hissed. “She’s in pain!”

“She’s getting married tomorrow,” the older brother grit out. “She can’t arrive to her wedding claimed.”

“Are you insane?”

Dean’s knuckles turned white, his nails digging into his palm. “This is for the best. No one back home trusts us, she’d be shunned by the town just because of our curse.”

Sam seemed shamed by that. “It’s _my_ curse, Dean.”

The elder brother gave a soft smile through the pain. “Ours, Sam. The one _you_ gave to me.”

The younger brother sighed heavily and stared at the floor in shame. “We can’t leave her alone in there.”

“I’ll stay in the hall, she won’t be alone.”

“You’re going to sit out here, listening to her all night?” Sam glanced back up at him. “You’ll be able to control yourself?”

The vein in Dean’s neck become prominent as he strains to control himself. “I’ll have to.”

“Or you could just—”

“Shut up, Sammy.”

The younger Winchester groaned, throwing his hands up. “Fine. I’ll be in our room. Hopefully, you’ll pull your head out of your arse before morning.”

With that, Sam turned on his heel, frustration rolling off of him in waves.

Dean's hand came up, running down his face. He sighed heavily before sliding down the door to sit.

Y/N was still whimpering pitifully on the other side of the door. He knew that him being so close didn't help her heat, but he couldn't leave her, not with a bar full of knotheads downstairs.

So, he sat there, listening to the sounds of the woman he loved begging for him, for the whole night through.

* * *

 

A swift, harsh kick to the shins was more than enough to wake Dean. “What the hell, Sammy?”

Sam responded with a few choice words—several of them were “idiot”—and walked away.

The older Winchester grumbled, rubbing his leg where it hurt, before stumbling to his feet. Then he couldn’t ignore her any longer.

It seemed as though the night had gone no better for her. The whining and begging had dropped off about an hour into his vigil, but, even when she finally dozed off, soft whimpers continued as she dreamed, as she writhed.

Dean had barely slept at all. Listening to her combined with the pain in his trousers and the fear of the Alphas from downstairs coming up to claim her had made sure of that. He got to his feet, his body stiff as a board from the uncomfortable position he’d spent the night before in. He fell back against the door with a dull thud. That seemed to be enough, and the whining from the other side of the door began anew. Still just as pathetic as the night before, but she seemed exhausted still, so she was just barely audible.

It didn't matter to Dean; it still blocked out every other noise in the world to him.

Sam returned a few minutes later with a Beta woman. She introduced herself as Alison, the local baker’s wife, and tried to move past him.

Dean growled, blocking the Beta before the thought had even crossed his mind.

“We can't bring her to her wedding without giving her a bath, Dean,” Sam grumbled, his eyes narrowing at his brother.

The elder Winchester still seemed unable to move.

“Either you go in there or she does,” his brother said slowly, pleadingly.

Finally, Dean stood to the side, each step looking painful, and Alison slipped inside. He even held his breath when the door opened and tried to ignore the sound of disappointment that left Y/N at the sight of the maid.

He could do this. It was better for everyone this way.


	9. Chapter 8

Everything was awful.

After Alison came and went, helping Y/N into the dress her father had packed especially for this day after a quick bath, Y/N fell into the bed.

Every inch of her skin hurt, like little pinpricks of pure fire were weaved to hold her together. Her body ached and she was exhausted, barely able to breathe without causing herself more pain.

Sam had helped her climb into Pala’s back and Dean had been making sure to be as far as he could be from her. She couldn't decide if she was grateful or angry for that.

The trip out of the small town to the capital was short. They reached their destination by mid-day, the sun blaring above them.

Half-lucid, she had watched the boys as they traveled. Someone's hand came up to rest on her forehead a few times, wiping away the hair that was sticking to her skin.

They seemed angry, but it never got beyond a few raised voices. They might have been hyper aware of her condition. Or maybe whatever they were arguing about wasn't important.

Honestly, sussing that out required more brain power than what she currently had at her disposal.

She instead focused on the feel of Pala's muscles as she walked and the best scent she'd ever smelled on the wind. She would recognize Dean anywhere. In fact, she pretty much smelled him everywhere at this point.

“We’re here for the wedding.”

She snapped her head up to see the boys standing between her and a giant gate. The town had sprung up around her in her delirium. A guard smaller than the brothers Winchester, but still tall, looked at them through narrow, suspicious eyes, but eventually let them through.

As soon as the gates opened, she saw a few villagers’ heads pop up, stopping whatever they were doing to stare at her. Their pupils overtook their irises, their nostrils flared, and one or two people even took a step toward her before they could stop themselves.

Her heat was getting worse by the moment.

Sam was by her side a moment later, his large hand pushing her hair back from her sweat-soaked forehead to feel her temperature. He cursed quietly under his breath, then turned to Dean, voicing his concern more loudly.

The group was quickly shuffled in, a few guards escorting them to the gate of the castle. It was tall, foreboding, and looked as though the light from the sun itself died when touching the stones.

Sam helped Y/N off Pala and, the moment she was on her own two feet, Dean brushed past her to take care of his horse. She nearly yelped in pain when he touched her, and she saw him, out of the corner of her eye, stop for a moment and could’ve sworn she heard him growl quietly before practically running away.

She looked up at Sam, looking more pitiful with each passing second. He gave her a sad smile and took her arm, helping her through the large, grand doors. They opened to reveal an equally grand, if more than a little dreary, room, with a long, finely woven rug leading from the door, around a corner, and into the main hall.

At the end of the rug was an ornate throne. It was empty, but soon surrounded by a small but beautifully dressed group of people, obviously the owners of both the throne and the surrounding land that held it.

One was an older woman — the Lady Dorigen, if Y/N remembered correctly — who looked to be the epitome of regal, with graying hair swept back in an elaborate bun nestled beneath her crown and perfect stature.

Next to her stood an even older, shorter, stockier man, but whose aura was no less intimidating than hers. Clearly the Lord Arveragus.

Finally, bringing up the end, was a younger man, younger even than Y/N, looking to be in his late teens. His thick hair was slicked back, showing off his sneering face quite well.

Unfortunately, this was Hubert. “What on earth is that smell?”

Y/N flushed, hiding her face in Sam’s bicep. Dean answered with a low growl.

The younger man recoiled a bit, but quickly composed himself after a sharp glare from his severe mother. The lord cleared his throat, then began speaking. “I assume this is my son’s intended?”

Dean was too busy glaring at the young man before him, so Sam had to answer. “Yes, this is Y/N Merchant. She, ah…she…”

“We understand her condition,” the matriarch smiled softly. She clapped her hands twice in quick succession. Within moments, several servants appeared from apparently nowhere, descending like vultures on Sam and Y/N. The moment they stepped too close, Dean growled once more, sending them reeling back in fear.

The family recoiled as well, though none more so than Prince Fuckface — or whatever his name was, Dean didn’t care — and it took a moment for them to finally relax.

The matriarch stepped forward once more, leveling her glare at the elder Winchester. “Calm yourself. She is not yours, but ours, and we take care of our own.”

Dean bristled, his lip curled in another snarl. Then he felt a small hand rest on his shoulder, and he whipped around to see its owner. Y/N stood there, next to him, having left Sam behind. Her Y/E/C eyes stared up at him, a little hazy with lust, but mostly swirled with worry. She smiled sadly, her hand not leaving him as she turned to the elder woman before them. “Might the brothers stay for the wedding? I think they just wish to see me safe, and perhaps the ceremony will convince them as such.”

Lady Dorigen’s eyes narrowed, but her husband was the one who spoke next. “Yes, that’s a splendid idea. We’ll have rooms made up for them, so they can change.”

“I doubt they’ve proper attire, my lord,” his wife interrupted.

That caused the lord himself to stutter, but his smile didn’t falter. “Well then, at the very least, ‘twill give them a chance to rest. And we can feed their fine stallion before they go on their way.”

Sam answered for both brothers. “That’d be lovely, thank you, my lord.”

The pudgy older man smiled wider, obviously pleased with himself.

His son took the short silence as his chance to speak. “Mum, what’s wrong with her?” he whispered loud enough for all to hear, therefore defeating the point of whispering.

His mother huffed, obviously a little flustered. “Her cycle has begun. She is at her most fertile.”

“Ohhh,” he said. Then a beat passed. “How long is she gonna be all…gross?”

His mother huffed again, clearly embarrassed, and quietly hissed her answer to her son, “This isn’t an appropriate topic in front of guests, darling!”

“But she _smells!_ ” Hubert huffed angrily, like a small child.

Lord Arveragus rushed over to his family’s side, and then their discussions became too hushed for the brothers Winchester and Y/N to hear.

In response, Y/N fell against Dean. He caught her quickly, cradling her against his chest. Her heat scent crashed against him like a wave, and Dean nearly crumbled himself.

Her fingers dug into his clothes, holding him closer as she whined pitifully. She clung to him like he was a life raft in an ocean, and she looked just as desperate. When his emerald eyes locked with her Y/E/C ones, he heard a whimper, so soft that had he not been so entirely focused on her, he might’ve missed it.

Dean’s arm wrapped around her, pulling her close, whilst his other hand rested over hers on his chest. He was all that stopped her from crumbling to the floor, and he knew it. He knew it by the way that his skin flared up where they touched and by the way that he felt calmer than he ever had before and, at the same time, more crazed than ever before.

Not for the first time, Dean knew that he wouldn’t be able to let her go.

“No!”

The shout was enough to being the couple out of their reverie, and they turned to see a red-faced Hubert huffing and puffing. “I’m not touching her when she’s in this state! She’s disgusting!”

Lady Dorigen’s face turned bright red, and she was sputtering. Her husband, obviously embarrassed enough as it was, turned to his wife and proposed an idea: “P-Perhaps we could continue this conversation privately? I'm sure Miss Merchant and her companions require some rest before this evening's ceremony.”

Dorigen nodded curtly, seething with barely contained rage. “An excellent idea, my Lord.” With two more swift claps, servants once again appeared, ushering the small group away. Before they had even left the hall, however, the sharp whispers and hisses could easily be heard.

Dean wouldn’t let anyone touch Y/N and absolutely no one was going to fight the tall Alpha on it. So, the small gaggle of servants just shuffled along beside them, leading them to the room set aside for the bride.

As they walked along the ornate hallways, Y/N leaned more and more into Dean’s embrace, obviously struggling with holding her own weight. He, in turn, tightened his grip on her, perhaps enough to bruise, but the idea of marking her even in that way was like a drug to him. Sam, of course, stayed as far away as he could, trying to distract the servants guiding them enough to give the other Alpha and Omega some semblance of privacy.

After turning down the third hallway and second set of stairs, Y/N turned to Dean, her lips chapped and, in a breathless whine, she begged, “Please, Dean…”

The older Winchester groaned and looked away. “If you knew everything about me, you wouldn’t want me.”

Her grip tightened enough to pull a yelp from him. His eyes snapped back to her, her glare free of the haze of lust and filled only with anger and frustration. “Tell me everything, then, so I may prove you wrong.”

And he thought about it. He thought about it long and hard.

They arrived at what were to be her quarters at that moment. The servants shifted awkwardly, unsure what to do now that they were at their destination. None were foolish enough to try and step between the Alpha and Omega, but fear of retribution from their employers was still in their minds.

Sam was the one to break the silence. “Dean, c’mon, let them take care of Y/N.”

Dean could feel her gaze on him, and so he took a deep breath, turned to her and said simply. “Get some rest. I’ll be back, and I’ll tell you whatever you wish to know.”

She stared at him for a long time, seemingly silently searching for any sign of veracity. Finally, she nodded slowly. “You’re running out of time, Winchester.”

He responded with an indecipherable smile and a kiss to her forehead that lingered far too long.

The servant then swooped in and brought the bride into her chambers, their voices mixing together into an unintelligible mess as they began their duties, shutting the door behind them.

This left the brothers Winchester standing alone in the hall with just one male servant, who stood to the side silently.

Sam turned to Dean and tried to hide the hope in his voice. “You’ll tell her?”

The older brother turned to the younger and, after a beat, he nodded. “For better or worse.”

Sam grinned widely. “Better. Definitely better.”


	10. Chapter 9

The inside of Y/N’s new chambers became a whirlwind of activity the moment the doors closed. She barely noticed, however, as servants ran around, scrambling to get her ready for the ceremony. One or two were grumbling quietly about how little time they had, but none were outright hostile to her.

When they peeled her dress off of her, one of the younger women did however clear her throat and try to ask, as delicately as possible, “When did you last bathe?”

An older woman answered with a smack upside the younger girl’s head and an apology to Y/N. Honestly, the bride couldn’t care about anything going on around her. Her thoughts were only on Dean and what his confession would be.

The brothers Winchester were led to a small room off to the side, near the stables. It was barely connected to the main house, and, clearly, they were lucky to get even that room.

In the corner of the shabby room sat a small tub with a ratty towel resting on the rim, and that was the entirety of the furniture.

Sam dropped their bags on the dirt floor by the door, following close behind. He plopped onto the floor, sighing heavily as he did so. His hazel up traveled up to his brother, and he asked, “Well, you should get ready first.”

Dean shrugged. “You can go first, Sammy.”

The younger Winchester shook his head. “No, you need to get back to her.”

That pulled a nod and a blush from Dean, who walked over to the basin and began washing his face. He steadfastly ignored his shaking hands as he began to undress, cleaning the dirt and grime that was permanently embedded in his skin at this point. His thoughts were all over the place, unable to stay in one place for too long.

Sam finally spoke after a long silence. “What are you going to tell her?”

“Everything.”

That pulled a nod from the younger brother. “Should I be ready for a fight?”

Dean took a long time to think, long enough that Sam almost asked his question again. “If there is a fight, it’ll be mine. Just...if something happens, you get her out of here, okay?”

The man in the bear skin coat nodded. “Of course. She’s family.”

Dean definitely wasn’t going to cry at that. “And, if she _doesn’t_ want to come with us, you’ve gotta promise me that you’ll respect that.”

“You’re the only person who thinks that she—!”

“Just promise me, please?”

Sam sighed heavily, but agreed with a roll of his eyes.

Silence fell once again as Dean redressed slowly, his nerves obvious. When he was finished, he turned to his brother and offered him a turn.

The younger man stood and walked towards the basin. He stopped, however, when he was close to his brother and, after a moment of silence and a quick locking of eyes, they were hugging. Another moment passed, and, with heavy pats on the back, they separated and acted as though nothing had happened.

And then Dean left.

The knock on the heavy doors was like music to Y/N’s ears. A gaggle of servants were still around, and the same knock seems to send them into a frenzy.

The eldest maid tried to calm the squawking and, once she had semi-succeeded, she went to answer. She spoke in hushed, obviously aggravated, tones. Finally, after a short dispute, she returned and spoke to Y/N. “You have a visitor. Don’t spend too long with him — we still have much to do!” she huffed then shooed the other maids from the room.

Dean walked in, pushing past the women as they left. They all stared up at him like he was a mythical creature, and, well, Y/N couldn’t blame them. He shut the door on all their slack-jawed faces, though, and, with that, they were alone.

Y/N wobbled over to a small chair near the dais where she had been forced to stand for their preening, watching Dean the entire time. She gathered up the sea of skirts she was currently drowning in and tried to make herself comfortable, giving him plenty of time to think or prepare or just remember how exactly to breathe.

Finally, she looked up at him expectantly, and he had to speak. He began with, “You might not believe me.”

“Let’s find out,” she groaned, leaning back in her seat and holding her stomach. She felt infinitely better and infinitely worse with him here, and most of her focus went into squashing her instincts down to listen to him.

With a heavy sigh, he spoke. “Do you recall, a few years back, when there were all those wild animal attacks?”

Y/N frowned. An unexpected start to the story, to be sure. But she thought hard. Honestly, her father had kept her locked up safe and sound, afraid for anything to ruin his daughter (along with any potential payday), that she was often out of the loop on such matters. As such, even with his prompt, she had only the vaguest recollection, and she told him as such.

He sighed heavily and clapped his hands together. “Okay, well then, uh…back then, people were being mauled to death. A _lot_ of people,” he took a deep breath before he spoke again. “Sam’s mate included.”

The pulled a gasp from her like she’d been punched in the gut. “I…I cannot even imagine…”

That pulled a soft, awkward chuckle from him. “You and me both, Y/N. Sam handled it as well as he could’ve, I guess. But he became obsessed with killing it.”

An image flashed in her mind of the bearskin Sam always wore.

It seems as though he’d succeeded.

“It took us longer than we’d have liked, but we got the bastard. But he didn’t go down without a fight,” Dean paused for a second, his eyes flicking back and forth between her face and the floor. “Left a bit of himself with Sam. Made sure he wouldn’t be forgotten.”

“What do you…Sam’s alright, is he not?”

The pulled a breathless, humorless chuckle. “He’s in perfect health. And he always will be.”

“What?”

Dean pulled his bottom lip between his teeth as he rocked back and forth on his feet. “Sam’s, uh…can’t die. And neither can I.”

And, with that, she laughed. “ _What_?”

“Look,I know it sounds crazy—”

“It surely is, Dean!” she pushed herself off of her feet, albeit onto wobbly legs. “You expect me to believe such a fairytale? Bears do not grant immortality.”

“No, but…we were wrong. It wasn’t a bear. It was something else, something old.”

“Dean, do not take me for a fool.”

He stood, a hand running through his short hair. “I don’t--!”

“I am not so sheltered that I cannot identify a bearskin when I see one!”

“It was a hellhound, alright?!”

She swallowed thickly, her skin becoming paler. “Those are fairy tales.”

“Then one must’ve jumped from your book, because it bit Sam and now he can’t die. He was in a fight just a few weeks later and was stabbed through the heart. I watched him pull the sword from his chest like it was nothing, Y/N.”

She couldn’t look at him. “And this power somehow transferred to you?”

His teeth worried his bottom lip. “After he didn’t die, we did research. Travelled all over, looking for lore. When we finally found it and learned of what we had fought, what we had killed…we learned of Sam’s fate. I refused to leave my brother alone. So, Sam bit me.” With that, he unbuttoned his shirt, pulling the neck open to reveal a deep red mark on his shoulder. It looked suspiciously like an animal bite. “And now I can’t die either.”

Y/N fell back into her chair, her head in her hands. “How am I supposed to believe all of this, Dean?”

He knelt before her, looking pathetic. “Because you’re my true mate.”

Her head snapped up, her eyes meeting his. They were red-rimmed and watery, like he was on the verge of tears. With just a few simple words, she believed every word. “I thought…I thought you were simply trying to push me away again.”

His hand reached up, stopping just short of touching her. “I wanted you happy. I thought you would find it here. But…” he snarled. “That little lordling can’t satisfy you, can’t make you happy. I can’t promise I can, not with this curse, but…”

She slid off of her chair, kneeling before him. She reached out and took his hands in hers. Her soft hands relished in the calloused skin rubbing against her palms and she tried valiantly to not immediately imagine those same hands trailing along other soft bits of her skin. She took a deep breath, inhaling his scent before she asked, “Would I be cursed as well?”

He took forever to answer. “I don’t know.”

She nodded, then brought his hand to her lips, kissing his knuckles. He let out a strangled moan, and her eyes fluttered open to see his half-lidded. “You can still reject me, if that knowledge scares you,” he said softly, the worry in his voice clear.

She smiled, looking at him like he was an idiot. “I just do not wish to leave you. I would happily be cursed if I could spend an eternity with you.”

He swallowed thickly. “The transformation, it…it hurts. For days on end.”

She shrugs. “A small price to pay.”

Dean Winchester looked at her like she was the most beautiful, most precious thing he’d ever seen. Then his hand reached up, grabbed her by her intricately and meticulously done hair, and pulled her into a sweltering kiss.


	11. Chapter 10

The fact that he didn’t take her right there was a damn miracle. Or a travesty, depending on how you looked upon the situation.

Dean was highly aware of the gaggle of maids and servants just on the other side of the thick wooden door, and he frowned, panting heavily as he pulled away. “We have to leave, _now_.”

Y/N whined quietly, not quite ready to part, and pulled him into another kiss. He growled, the sound vibrating through his chest and sending a fresh wave of slick from Y/N’s core. “C’mon, Sammy's waiting for us.”

She tried to stand, but her legs immediately buckled under her. The acknowledgement of their bond had pushed her over the edge, and what little self-control she had was gone. Dean caught her before she hit the ground. She pulled herself into his chest, burying herself in his ratty, ill-fitting clothes.

He swore under his breath, and Y/N whimpered as she felt him harden against her stomach. He set her down on a nearby chaise, kneeling in front of her. He pried her hands from his shirt, clutching them tightly. He even leaned down to kiss her knuckles before speaking again. “Can you wait here?”

“Don’t leave me,” she whined pitifully, squeezing his fingers.

“No, Omega.” Dean let go of one of her hands to cup her cheek. She leaned into the touch, even turning her head to kiss his palm, and he sighed heavily, “Never. But I have to keep you safe.”

She groaned, clutching his hand tightly. She then leaned forward, crashing her lips to his in a short, harsh kiss. “Take me with you?”

The Alpha growled at the feel of her soft, warm lips on his, then stood, dropping her hands from his. “Let me clear the hall.”

The Omega nodded, shifting uncomfortably in her seat as he walked away. The pain of her cramps increased with the distance between her and the Alpha she’d chosen.

Dean stalked to the large door that separated his true mate from the women outside tasked with trussing her up. The moment he opened the door, several of the maids fell forward, their cheeks darker than he remembered. They scrambled to their feet, looking up at him with wide eyes.

It was this exact moment that Dean realized he had no plan.

With all the blood in his downstairs brain, he stood there awkwardly, blocking their entrance.

Finally, the eldest maid stepped forward. “Might we finally return to our duties? The wedding fast approaches and enough time has been already wasted.”

Dean snarled aggressively, the sound brought on more by instinct than intention. “No.”

All the servants, save for the eldest, cowered. She simply stared him down, the raising of one graying eyebrow her only response. “I believe you have done quite enough posturing. Ladies,” she motioned for the others to follow her and then began to try to push past Dean.

It didn't really work it like she planned.

A small, silent struggle occurred between them, whilst the maids watched on in a mixture of fear and amusement.

Thankfully, the other Winchester appeared, and his look of concern quickly turned to confusion. Several of the maids, especially the younger ones, turned to face Sam and visibly swooned.

Dean's rage lessened a bit upon seeing his brother. The brothers made eye contact and, almost instantly, a silent conversation passed between them. Irritation flagged across Sam's face for a split second before he plastered on a smile.

As the younger Winchester brother walked up to the gaggle of girls, effectively keeping them enamored with soft winks and his dimpled smile, the elder Winchester retreated back inside.

Y/N was still curled up in the chair where he had left her, clutching her stomach as she was wracked with cramps. He rushed to her side, grabbing her by the upper arms. “C’mon,” he muttered needlessly. She struggled to her feet on wobbly legs, prompting Dean to just scoop her up bridal style.

She squeaked, grabbing him where she could and, if her face wasn't already so flushed, her cheeks would've darkened.

Dean carried her to the doors and poked his head out. Sam was surrounded by all the maids, even the older one, who had the biggest heart eyes of them all. The horde of maids sufficiently distracted, Dean snuck out of the room, his mate in his arms.

By the time they heard his heavy footfalls, he was rounding the corner and out of sight.

Shouts echoed throughout the halls, quickly followed by the sound of Sam’s long legs carrying him to his brother. Y/N smiled at the sight of the younger Winchester, and he returned it as they ran. “Where are we going?” he asked between heavy breaths.

“We’re getting Pala and getting out of here,” Dean smiled. “So I hope one of you two knows where the stables are.”

Y/N swallowed thickly. “We’re lost in here, aren’t we?”

Both men laughed, albeit a bit nervously. Sam spoke next, “The room they gave us was outside, so we can get out that way. Where the stables are from there, though, we aren’t sure.”

She nodded, tightening her grip on Dean as they made a sharp turn, the doors to the outside wide open. All three were on the other side of those doors a few moments later, making another sharp turn towards a shack. Sam disappeared inside, but Dean kept moving past it, his emerald eyes studying everything around him.

Sam reappeared before Y/N had a chance to voice her concern, carrying a small, tattered, and familiar bag that carried most things the boys owned. He rushed to their side, “Which way to the main gate?”

Dean frowned, “We didn't see the stables when we came in.”

“Where else should we look?”

Y/N watched Dean take a moment to think before going left. Sam scoffed, then followed.

Shouts were still coming from everywhere, all of them angry and all of them getting closer. Dean swore under his breath, tightening his hold on his mate.

The three rush around the side, all breathing a sigh of relief upon seeing the stables. The skidded to a stop, slipping a bit on the stray hay. Dean almost put Y/N down, desperate to see his mare again. Before her feet hit the ground, however, Sam placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder, and another silent conversation passed between them. It ended with a heavy sigh and a curt nod from Dean, then Sam was running.

Sam threw open the door and dashed inside. The new couple followed close behind. Pala was in a stall closer to the middle, and, after a moment of searching, they were by her side. Sam began untying her and Dean put Y/N down only to throw the saddle atop Pala. When he turned to pick Y/N back up and place her atop The horse, he froze, eyes wide.

She didn't have to turn to know what was behind her, but she did anyway.

In the only door out of the stables stood a retinue of guards, headed by the Lord Douchebag himself and his mother. Both were red-faced with anger, and their glares would've killed them if such a thing was possible.

“Crap.”


End file.
